Legends Are Lessons (Her Life, It Is A Burning Sun)
by AzardBrazul
Summary: Get to know Princess Azula's story. As she runs, flies, laughs, cries, falls, rises, and touches the sky, even as her walls come crumbling down. Everyone has a story to tell, and this is Azula's. AU Nonlinear drabbles and oneshots. Previously Known as Azulon: Outtakes
1. Of Simpler Times

**DISCLAIMER: All AVATAR/ATLA/LOK references, characters, events and places that you recognize are The property of Nick (Or whoever who owns them). The rest belongs to me. I make no profit of this, So please don't sue me.**

**INSTRUCTIONS: READ THIS CHAPTER WITH CHARLIE BROWN by COLDPLAY PLAYING IN THE BACKGROUND. THIS IS ESSENTIAL FOR FULL EFFECT, IF IN DOUBT, USE YOUTUBE! Sorry for the caps :D  
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**Take 1 - Of simpler times.**

She stares open mouthed at the falling flurries of downy snow. Chuckling softly, she raises her chubby palm to capture a falling flake. When it melts in her palm, she giggles loudly and claps her hands in sheer childish delight. A wide smile plasted on her little face. She wants more!

She huffs, unable to jump over the waist high wall that resides in front of her, she tries to boost herself, pull herself over it with her hands, jump over it, walk around it, all to no avail. The wall was impossibly high for her to climb over, and it seemed to go on forever! (she didn't want to stray _too_ far, lest her father find out. Father was SCARY when he's displeased!) She kicks it roughly and sits down with a huff, her back resting on it.

Not far away somebody chuckles, a deep resonating chuckle that infuses itself into everything that comes into contact with it. It's owner, a portly man with a long shaggy mane of graying hair and a perpetual smile stood not far away from her.

A smile curls up on her impish face even as she reaches out to him with both hands. Grinning at her, he obliges, lifting her up and settling her on his shoulder even as he steps over the wall that came only up to his knees.

The snowflakes seem to dance around her now that she's in the open, a veritable ballet of different shapes swirling round her to the wind's tune. She giggles batting away the ones that come close. The man holding her up laughs, his eyes crinkled in amusement and happiness.

She focuses on one particular flake as it drifts, ever closer, sifting through her batting hands, it lands on the tip of her nose and she pauses her actions to try and focus on the tip of her nose. She almost goes cross eyed before she sneezes, rocking on the grey haired man's shoulder. She sneezes again and the man brings her down and cradles her in his arms.

"There, there princess, we better hurry back inside before my brother catches us outside in the snow!" He widens his eyes almost comically as he tickles her chin, she giggles and swats his hand away. "How would my most favorite niece like a warm cup of jasmine tea?" She nods enthusiastically at that, seeming to understand every word. The large man is not surprised, he barks out a laugh before carrying her inside while holding her above his head as she pretends to be an airship.

**Azula is 13 months old**

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So, whatcha thunk? I started this to work on while I have writers block and to help deal with the crushing darkness that The Azulon is shaping up to have. Writing this chapter made me smile, follow the guidelines and it will definitely make you smile too, (haven't tried it without the song, though that might work too!) **  
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As always Read and Review

PS. If anybody is wondering what the hell I've been doing the whole of last week, I've got a monster chapter of The Azulon that I'm struggling to type out, damn monitor and keyboard... so unappealing.


	2. Of Desperation and Hate

******DISCLAIMER: All AVATAR/ATLA/LOK references, characters, events and places that you recognize are The property of Nick (Or whoever who owns them). The rest belongs to me. I make no profit of this, So please don't sue me.**

******60 views and ONE review? :O OMG! :P  
This swiftly updated chapter is for you my valiant reviewer!  
**

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**Take 2 - Of Desperation and Hate**

She stands there, Holding onto the wind wane atop the roof of the tallest tower.

She wants to jump.

Below her the asylum is spread out in all its grey glory, black dots that she supposed were patients milling around in the courtyards and smoke curling from the chimneys in soft plumes, tall ominous walls surrounding the whole thing like a guarded fort. She would have scoffed at how common it looks if she weren't hanging on to dear life, debating whether or not to let go.

This is the second time she's escaped, this is the second time she couldn't get passed the walls, the second time she failed.

By now the glow in her eyes have dimmed, the excitement of breaking out leaving her. She is too tired to firebend. She hopes she can manage, Azula is a force to be reckoned with even without her firebending. The sniveling cowards who call themselves healers already know that, they've been drugging her food, and she is weak. She congratulates herself for getting so far.

She slumps dangerously, her feet failing her, the wane bends, the mounted pig rooster bowing almost mockingly to her, before it gives way and she is falling.

Azula laughs, her laughter no longer discernible from her screams. She laughs until her ears hurt.

Her eyes blaze like the sun.

The ground is rushing up at her, and she closes her eyes with a grin plastered on her lips, she revels in the fact that after a few moments she would be free from this accursed misery, she would be free!

She laughs again as she anticipates the inevitable crunch as she hits the ground.

It never comes.

She falls with a slight thud onto something soft and warm and furry and for the life of her she can't understand what happed. She pulls her head back to stare at thick white fur and understanding flashes in her golden eyes.

That sick short sadistic busybody!

She pushes herself onto her side with a groan (she thinks she must have broken _another_ rib) and stares into his stormy grey eyes. They are crinkled with worry even as his face is set in a neutral manner. The damned Avatar and his bloody sky bison.

Her eyes narrow dangerously as she puts all the hate and anger and sadness and despair floating inside her into the next three words she hisses in her gravelly voice:

"I hate you."

The Avatar just stares back for a moment, and then nods.

**Azula Is 25**

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**Read and REVIEW. **

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**Therefore Moar Reviewz = Youz Happay!**


	3. Of Reflections

**Disclaimer:**  
**All AVATAR/ATLA/LOK references, characters, events and places that you recognize are The property of Nick (Or whoever who owns them). The rest belongs to me. I make no profit of this, So please don't sue me.**

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**Take 3 - Of Reflections**

She stands staring down at her reflection. The rippling surface of the pond distorts it slightly and for a moment, she looks like Zuko.

Zuko... How she has come to despise that name.

She throws in a rock and the surface ripples, throwing dots and rays of sunlight on her face and robes.

For a moment she looks like father.

Father... How she hates him for not loving her. Father and mother.

She's just a tool

She's expendable to all of them.

The turtleducks come quacking, thinking of breadcrumbs and dinner. The little ones trailing behind the mother like a little train of yellow-orange feathered puffy carriages.

Azula grins as she raises a second rock above her head.

She'll show them. She'll show them all. Someday she'll become firelord and then they'll all be in the gutter. Someday soon.

The rock splashes into the pond drawing terrified and indignant quacks.

Yes. Someday soon.

**Azula is 14 years old**

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**I know, two chapters in one day? Its a miracle!**

Review Please


	4. Of Flames

**Disclaimer:**  
**All AVATAR/ATLA/LOK references, characters, events and places that you recognize are The property of Nick (Or whoever who owns them). The rest belongs to me. I make no profit of this, So please don't sue me.**

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**Take 4 - Of flames**

She's angry.

Her lower lip is broken where she'd been punched, a slow trickle of blood dripping from the edges of her downturned mouth.

She's very, very angry.

Misa, a heavyset girl who also calls herself a student of the Fire Nation Academy for Girls stand in front of her, towering over her she stares down at her, while matching her glare evenly.

"What are you going to do about it _ZuZu?_" she taunts. "Are you going to run to your _grandfather?_ Or even worse... to _Zuko_?"

Misa kicks her and for the first time, Azula thinks she hates someone so completely that she wishes them dead.

"What are you going to do Dum Dum?" The cloying lilt in her assailants voice emphasizing the taunts.

"Zuko isn't here to protect you little princess!" Misa grabs her roughly by her neck and slams her into the ground. "Are you going to banish me?"

'I will not cry, I will not cry, I will not cry, I will not...'

"ANSWER ME!"

Somewhere out of the back of her mind, she can hear Zuko's voice.

'I'll protect you however I can, I promise Azula. But for some reason, if I can't, remember the moves we practice together and use them, it doesn't matter that you can't firebend yet, a good kick is a good kick even without fire.'

Misa motions to kick her again, but in what almost seems a flash, Azula is on her feet.

"I don't need anybody to protect me!"

And she kicks, and she misses.

But to both of their surprise fire blooms from her foot, singing Misa's gold trimmed blouse.

Almost by force of habit and practice Azula punches, following through with the kata she practiced with Zuko.

fire blooms from her fists.

Misa screams as she runs away, her blouse is on fire and it is music to Azula.

Still trembling, and panting like a polar bear dog Azula opens her clenched left hand. She stares in wonder at small flame that flickers in it.

Her fire is _blue!_

**Azula is 5 years old**


	5. Of Hair

**Disclaimer:**  
**All AVATAR/ATLA/LOK references, characters, events and places that you recognize are The property of Nick (Or whoever who owns them). The rest belongs to me. I make no profit of this, So please don't sue me.**

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**Take 5 - Of Hair**

The first time they cut off her hair, she screams.

The second time they try she grabs the pair scissors they leave carelessly lying around and jabs it in their eyes before making a run for it. She doesn't make it too far.

The third time, they make her wear a straightjacket. She doesn't stop screaming or trying to fight it.

The fourth time, she finally gives in, her head bowing willingly.

She'd stopped counting since the fifth

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**Just something to tide you by until the next chapter of the Azulon.**


	6. Of Drowning

**DISCLAIMER: All AVATAR/ATLA/LOK references, characters, events and places that you recognize are The property of Nick (Or whoever who owns them). The rest belongs to me. I make no profit of this, So please don't sue me.**

**I swear I'm still alive, just gong through some family problems. "Illness, does not pause for any man" So the next chapter of Azulon will be up soon. Here, have a double helping of Outtakes for now.  
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**Take 6 - Of Drowning**

The water is rough when she lands.

Her hands splay out as she breaks the surface. It shatters like a thousand mirrors, and their shards twinkle in the sun.

She's sinking and all she can think is that the light sparkling on the surface is so pretty.

She's sinking and all she can feel is the slight throb of her stomach where her uncle had kicked her. it feels hollow. Her hands clutch and open, holding only water which slips out in between her fingers, like a thief in the dark.

She's sinking and here in the embrace of the deep green ocean she wonders if finally, she should stop. Hang up her armor and call it a day. The idea seems very inviting.

She's sinking and all she feels is cold. The warm waters don't seem to help.

She's dying and she can't stop thinking how lucky her brother is.

She's dying and all she can feel is regret.

She stays still for a moment, closes her eyes, and she's home.

Sitting amidst the Fire lilies, stroking their yellow tips as Mai and Ty lee prattle about something or the other. Azula has a small smile on her lips that almost seems whimsical. She turns and looks at her friends framed in the sunlight filtering through dry cherry trees.

Ty Lee is wearing all pink and sitting on the tallest branch while Mai, robed in the deepest red sat on the ground throwing rocks at the trunks

They both wave when they notice her looking.

_My Friends. _

Her eyes snap open and her arms whip down and she thrusts herself up with all the force she can muster.

She's alive and as she breaks the surface all she can do is laugh.

She's alive and she's got friends that she should be using.

She's alive and for the first time in a long time, she can't stop smiling.

**Azula is 15 years old.**


	7. Of Lullabies

**DISCLAIMER: All AVATAR/ATLA/LOK references, characters, events and places that you recognize are The property of Nick (Or whoever who owns them). The rest belongs to me. I make no profit of this, So please don't sue me.**

**The Lullaby is the english translation of the Scottish Gaelic song Noble Maiden Fair (a mhaighdean bhan uasal) by Emma Thompson and Peigi Barker. It is the property of it's owners. **

**I use it here because it reminds me of home.**

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**Take 7 - Of Lullabies**

She's sitting on her mother's lap, Ursa is combing her hair, and whispering a lullaby into her ears.

_Little baby, hear my voice  
I'm beside you, O maiden fair  
Our young Lady, grow and see  
Your land, your own faithful land  
Sun and moon, guide us  
To the hour of our glory and honor  
Little baby, our young lady  
Noble Maiden Fair.  
_

She joins in for the last verse, her lilting voice drifting and mingling with her mother's like the mist skirting smoky waters on a bitter morning.

When they finish, she's giggling and her mother is smiling, Azula can hear her mother's slightly scratchy voice by her ear as Ursa pulls her hair into a topknot for the first time.

_I will ALWAYS be with you, my little Fire Lilly._

And Azula smiles like there is no tomorrow, her gold eyes twinkling with happiness.

She hugs her mother and swears to never _ever_ let go.

...

And then Ursa had left.

But Azula still wears the same topknot.

**Azula was 2 years old**


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